Psalm 123–125

Psalm 123

LOOKING FOR GOD’S FAVOR

A song of ascents.

¹I lift my eyes to you,

the one enthroned in heaven.^u

²Like a servant’s eyes on his master’s hand,

like a servant girl’s eyes on her mistress’s hand,

so our eyes are on the Lord our God

until he shows us favor.^v

³Show us favor, Lord, show us favor,

for we’ve had more than enough contempt.^w

⁴We’ve had more than enough

scorn from the arrogant

and contempt from the proud.^x

Psalm 124

THE LORD IS ON OUR SIDE

A song of ascents. Of David.

¹If the Lord had not been on our side—

let Israel say—

²if the Lord had not been on our side^y

when people attacked us,^z

³then they would have swallowed us alive

in their burning anger against us.^aa

⁴Then the water would have engulfed us;

the torrent would have swept over us;

⁵the raging water would have swept over us.^ab

⁶Blessed be the Lord,

who has not let us be ripped apart by their teeth.^ac

⁷We have escaped like a bird from the hunter’s net;

the net is torn, and we have escaped.^ad

⁸Our help is in the name of the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.^ae

Psalm 125

ISRAEL’S STABILITY

A song of ascents.

¹Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion.

It cannot be shaken; it remains forever.^a

²The mountains surround Jerusalem

and the Lord surrounds his people,

both now and forever.^b

³The scepter of the wicked will not remain

over the land allotted to the righteous,

so that the righteous will not apply their hands to injustice.^c

⁴Do what is good, Lord, to the good,

to those whose hearts are upright.^d

⁵But as for those who turn aside to crooked ways,

the Lord will banish them with the evildoers.^e

Peace be with Israel.^f